China Hints at Possible Thaw With US in Weighing Trade Talks

China said it is assessing the possibility of trade talks with the US, the first sign since Donald Trump hiked tariffs last month that negotiations could begin between the two sides.

- Bloomberg

China's Commerce Ministry said in a Friday statement that it had noted senior US officials repeatedly expressing their willingness to talk to Beijing about tariffs, and urged officials in Washington to show "sincerity" toward China.

"The US has recently sent messages to China through relevant parties, hoping to start talks with China," the ministry added. "China is currently evaluating this."

US stocks rose on Friday following the statement, as well as positive hiring data. That put the S&P 500 Index on track to erase all of the losses from Trump's tariff announcement last month, as investors grew more optimistic about the prospect for trade agreements.